Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Need a make-ahead dessert for your plant-based dinner party? This four-ingredient vegan chocolate mousse is just the thing. While most chocolate mousse recipes contain eggs and dairy, this vegan version relies on the magical powers of aquafaba, the viscous liquid from cooked chickpeas, to perform similar feats of levitation. Like egg whites, aquafaba whips up to a tall, fluffy white foam, making it the ideal base for this egg-free, dairy-free chocolate dessert. The resulting mousse has a lighter texture than chocolate pudding or ganache and the deep chocolate flavor of brownies. (As for those leftover chickpeas, put them to work in any of these recipes.)

Don’t swap the sweetener here: The scant quantity of sugar adds body to the aquafaba meringue. Also, be aware that not all dark chocolate is vegan—some brands contain milk powder or sugar refined with animal by-products. Seek out a certified vegan brand, like Hu, and opt for bars over chocolate chips, which often have stabilizers that could affect the texture of the finished mousse. 

Topped with a crackly, sweet sesame brittle, this dessert is an impressive, yet easy recipe fit for any celebration. No time to make the brittle? Garnish with chocolate shavings, fresh raspberries, and coconut whipped cream.